• Wifi Router: ASUS ZenWiFi AX6600 WiFi 6 System – offers solid WiFi 6 coverage
• Portable Speaker: Sonos Move 2 – amazing sound for a portable speaker
• Media Player: Apple TV 4K – reliable media streamer
• Television: Samsung S90C Series TV
• Home Theater Speakers: Sonos Beam Gen 2 Soundbar or Sonos Arc Soundbar – good quality wireless sound
• Home Theater Subwoofer: Sonos Sub Gen 3 Subwoofer – good quality wireless sound
• Notebook Computer: MacBook Air 15″ Notebook Computer – lightweight reliable computer
• Desktop Computer: Mac Mini Desktop Computer
• Monitor: ASUS HDR Monitor 4K – a good quality monitor with eye-protection technology
• Color Printer: Brother Printer HL3140CW Digital Color Printer – reliable an inexpensive color printouts
• Wireless Headphone: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones
• Wired Headphones: Sennheiser HD 600 – comfortable high-fidelity headphones with a neutral sound signature that is not bass-heavy, very durable construction – another option is HIFIMAN Edition XS Headphones
• Bookshelf Speaker: Triangle Borea BR03 – these speakers provide sophisticated sound for their price point
• Compact Portable Speaker: JBL Flip 5 
• USPS: CyberPower CP900AVR AVR UPS System – reliable battery backup system
• Surge Protector: Tripp Lite TLP1208SAT or if you need to protect high-end equipment then Furman Power Station 8

The post A List Of Reliable Home Electronics appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

Date night for two at the movies can easily run over $60 dollars in an urban area once you factor in exorbitant ticket prices, concessions, and parking. All that and you risk sticky seats, texting teenagers, and chatty couples. Making your own home theater is becoming an increasingly affordable alternative to pricey and unreliable nights out at the movies, with quality projector prices falling and pixel counts increasing.

Once upon a time you needed a spacious, cave-like room to make owning a home projector a feasible entertainment option. But the proliferation of short-throw projectors and steadily rising lumen counts mean that projectors are no longer exclusive to suburban basements. Even apartment living rooms can benefit from the immersive experience of an HD projector. You just need to make sure to buy the right projector for you.

There are a couple factors to keep in mind when picking a projector. First, determine the brightness of your room and how large your screen will be. If you do have a windowless room without any source of natural light, you don’t need a high lumen (measure of brightness) count. Likewise, if your projector screen is less than 100 inches, there is no need to pay up for a 4k resolution projector.

Since your projector will likely stay put in your house, things like portability and built-in audio playback aren’t a concern. Instead, consider whether the projector has low lag time, if it has 3D capability, whether it supports media streaming services, what its casting distance is, and image quality.

I’ve identified a few of the best projectors for different consumers below:

The Best 3D Projector

If you are still deciding between an LCD TV and projector for your home theater, a few minutes with a high quality 3D projector will put an end to your waffling once and for all. The latest 3D projectors give a true approximation of the cinema multi-plex experience. Their grand size and gorgeous colors convey the 3D experience in a way that an LCD TV just can’t. Immerse yourself in three dimensions with crosstalk,” the blurry illusion created by two different transmission channels.  Like all 3D technology on the market, there is some loss in brightness when viewing in 3D.

A few alignment options give some flexibility in set up. Lens shifting allows for the projector to be slightly off center from the screen, though you will have to manually do any lens shifting.

The 1700 lumen lamp will last 5000 hours in eco or 2000 at the highest setting. In low and medium ambient lighting, this projector gives bright and crisp colors and HD black. The lumen count is a bit low for bright rooms, so this is best in dens and media rooms.

The HW40ES is sold as a “gaming projector,” and users have the option to use it in a gaming mode that is said to reduce lag. Reviewers have empirically proven that lag time is reduced to 24 milliseconds, which is one of the absolute best for gaming.

It does not come with 3D glasses, so you will need to invest in a pair that is compatible with Sony projectors.

The Best 4k Projector

For those that want only the best image quality, sharpest contrast, and latest tech, a 4k projector is the way to go. 4k is the new gold standard for video resolution. The new video technology refers to the 4,000 thousand pixels found alongside the horizontal line display. Right now, Sony enjoys a total monopoly of the 4k home projector market. Of the 4k projectors Sony offers, the VPLVW350ES SXRD is the best value for an unbeatable image.

This behemoth of a projector weighs close to 40 pounds and is a commanding 25.1 x 22.9 x 12.6 inches. Inside comes Sony’s SXRD 4k movie theater technology and anamophic 3D capability. This top of the line tech enables you to cast onto a larger screen than some 1080p projectors. Sony says that full brightness (1500 lumens) and resolution are achieved on a 150 inch screen.

Since 4k is relatively new, not a whole lot of media is specifically made for 4k resolution. This is definitely changing, but 1080p HD is still the standard as of now. Sony equipped with the 350ES with Super Resolution upscaling so you can enjoy your content in 4k in the meantime. It uses a ‘Mastered in 4k’ algorithm to upscale HD movies and shows into 4k content. Sometimes this results in a noticeable difference, other times its hard to make a meaningful distinction.

The VPLVW350ES SXRD comes with a 3 year warranty.

The Best Projector for Football Fans

Plan to marathon NFL games all Sunday? You will need an extra bright projector if you are going to set up your home theater in a room with any natural light sources to get the most our of your daytime viewing. The brightest home theater projector is the Epson Home Cinema 1440, which has a staggering 4400 lumens.

This model uses 3LCD projectors for Full HD 1080p images that are rated three times brighter than other projectors in its class. This means you get stunning HD imagery in well-lit rooms, even with all the blinds up.

Easy slide horizontal keystone correction and automatic vertical keystone correction make alignment relatively easy. However, a lack of lens shift means you have to mount the projector dead center from where the image will be projected. This model is also lightweight and compact for a home theater projector, weighing just 13 pounds.

The post The Best Home Theater Projectors appeared first on Reactual.

A soundbar is a thin bar with multiple drivers. They point the speakers directly at your couch, with different tweeters and woofers replicating highs and lows. Newer soundbars include wireless connectivity options, making them hassle free compared to a full surround sound system. No soundbar will ever compete with the fidelity of traditional speakers, the drivers are just not large enough, but they can fill a small room with lush noise. These are the best soundbars available right now.

Best Overall Soundbar of 2016: Samsung HW-K950

The Samsung HW-K950 is the biggest leap forward in soundbar technology of the year. Released in summer 2016, the soundbar boasts Dolby Atmos, 4k/HDR, and 5.1.4 channel surround sound. One big drawback: it does not offer DTS-HD. So if you want the best possible sound quality out of a soundbar and don’t plan on playing Blu-rays on an older player, this is the soundbar for you.

Most soundbars simply can’t replicate the immersive multi-directional sound of a proper home theater system. Samsung shortens the gap with one of two soundbars released this year that features Dolby Atmos (the other is the Yamaha YSP-5600, which has DTS:X support but suffers from poor design). For those who don’t know, Dolby Atmos is an audio format designed to deliver three-dimensional sound. It’s what makes makes you think a helicopter is actually whirling overhead, or what clues you in to the sound of footsteps approaching from a distance.

The HW-K950 delivers Atmos sound from 15 built-in speakers. Most of those drivers come from the main soundbar itself, a minimalist 47 inch unit with metal grills and brushed metal dim plates. It has 3 forward firing channels, with twin mid-range drivers and a wide-range tweeter engineered just for the soundbar. Atop the wide bar are two upward firing full-range drivers that provide front overhead effects.  The rest of the sound comes from two wireless rear speakers with front and upward firing speakers and a wireless 160W sub-woofer. All drivers come with their own amplifier.

The sound is extremely crisp and expansive on Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital 5.1 compatible files. It is extremely clean and captures everything from dialogue to bass-heavy music in a way you thought a soundbar could not. The set up is easy and, unlike many previous-generation high end soundbars, it comes with 2 HDMI plugs. So unlike the popular SONOS soundbar, your audio isn’t rerouted through a optical port.

There are two big drawbacks to this soundbar. The first is the price. It’s an expensive package, but it includes the sub-woofer and rear speakers. You can definitely find better quality used home theater equipment for the same price range, but you lose all the convenience and connectivity the soundbar offers. So it depends on your needs. If you’re building a home theater, look elsewhere. If you want three-dimensional Dolby Atmos sound in your apartment without a receiver and a bunch of speakers, this wireless setup can’t be beat.

The main drawback, and this is a huge one, is that it does not support DTS-HD Master Audio, the most common format for many Blu-Ray movies. Newer Blu-Ray players do support Atmos, so you will have to check your player.

Best Value Soundbar: Vizio SB3851-C0

If you don’t want to spend a grand on a soundbar but still want a powerful upgrade from your TV speakers, check out Vizio’s SB3851-C0. For less than $300 you get 5.1 sound with a wireless sub-woofer and 2 rear satellite speakers.

This model captures engrossing Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, faithfully replicating highs and lows. The 6″ driver on the sub delivers a serviceable bass, definitely the best you will experience at this price range. It has an impress 100dB sound with less than 1% total harmonic distortion. Connect music directly with a Bluetooth. The setup is easy, and the 38 inch aluminum accented soundbar looks nice in the living room.

Unfortunately the unit lacks an HDMI connection. It also lacks EQ options to satisfy an audiophile.

The post The Best Soundbars of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

Projectors are replacing traditional televisions in more and more houses across the country. Why? A few factors account for this trend. The days of wire clusters and ultra bulky projectors is fading into distant memory. The newest projectors are equipped with a slew of wireless connectivity options, making them viable competitors of smart TVs.

But the real reason is that projectors provide an equally vivid and high definition image as TVs on a larger screen at a fraction of the price. You can get a 100 inch image on a 1080p full HD projector for less than a $1000. If you can even find a TV that size it will cost well into the thousands.

But not all 1080p projectors are made the same. Contrast ratio, lumen count (measure of brightness), and refresh rate all factor in to viewing experience. Finally, consider the size of your projection screen and the amount of space in your room. Ultra short throw projectors can cast a full HD image from inches away from the wall, but sacrifice brightness and contrast ratio.

Finally, rest assured that 1080p (1920 x 1080 native resolution) doesn’t suffer any signficant loss in picture quality over the much pricier 4k resolution projectors if your screen is going to be 100 inches or less. If you plan on going larger and have deep pockets, then 4k models might be worth a look.

Best 1080p Projector For Bright Rooms: Epson Home Cinema 1440

The Epson Home Cinema 1440 1080p definitively lays the misconception that projectors need cave-like darkness to rival LCDTV contrast to rest. That’s not the case with this  thing. Far from it. It has a staggering 4400 lumens and uses 3LCD projectors to create vibrantly colored Full HD 1080p with rich contrast. Want to watch a 2pm NFL game on a 100 inch screen? Done. Want to watch Netflix while your spouse prepares dinner in the next room? They can leave the lights on, it’s won’t interrupt your viewing.

But the Home Cinema 1440 can cast in True HD up to 300 inches, making it a great option for both home theaters and outdoor movie nights for a larger audience. Sure, if you want to get up to the full 300″ potential of this beast you will need the darkness, but it works even if there is ambient light from the odd streetlight or neon sign flickering nearby.

Besides its blinding brightness, the Epson 1440 really excels in image quality. It offers 3x Higher Color Brightness than other projectors in its class, casting vivid images worthy of the movie theater. Convenient color mode optimizes color, turning animated movies into a feast of bright hues and dramas into sharp shades of dark.

The 1440 is an MHL device, allowing easy connectivity for Roku and Chromecast streaming. It lacks Bluetooth functionality, which is a major knock against it if you rely on it. The other major downside is that it lacks lens shift, which means you have to place the projector dead center from where you want the image cast. It does include keystone correction, although it is not the most intuitive keystone alignment out there.

The Best Short Throw 1080p Projector: Optoma EH200ST

The Optoma EH200ST shines even in rooms that are both cramped and well-lit. This short throw projector calls on 3000 lumens to cast a 100 inch image from just 3.5 feet, making it ideal for big city apartments that just never seem to get as dark as you want.

For less than $1000 you get a powerful true-to-life colors and crystal clear full HD graphics. Unlike other 1080p projectors that falter on dark blacks, the EH200ST has a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, bringing low-light images and text onto your screen in crisp resolution. And with all digital connectivity, the EH300ST has a low latency and fast response time, making it ideal projector for gaming.

The projector can cast a 100 inch image from just 3.5 feet away, 200 inch image from 7.3 feet away, and 300 inch from 20 feet away. Get 3D image at any distance and connect your wireless devices via MHL.

The post The Best 1080p Projectors appeared first on Reactual.

The Details

Projectors have moved out of the movie theater and into your apartment living room. Once the domain of houses with large media rooms, the new generation of short throw and ultra short throw projectors only need a few feet (or in some cases inches) to cast true HD image of up to 100 inches. Short throw projectors also include a host of wireless options and functionalities, making them an ideal way to eliminate claustrophobia-inducing clutter in small spaces.

So what do you need to know before you invest in a short throw projector? First, consider your needs. If you are really tight on space (say, living in a studio apartment in Tokyo or NYC) go with an ultra short throw projector. These devices can cast an image the size of widescreen TV from half a foot and a full 100 inches from just 2 feet away.

This is a niche category without too many options yet, and it lags behind other classes of projector in terms of lumen count, which determines image brightness. Black out curtains reduce ambient light and can make them a viable option for most apartment owners.

Short throw projectors deliver more value, but usually require at least 3 feet to obtain full image size. They are brighter and more affordable, but do take up more space.

Best Overall Ultra Short Throw Projector: LG PF1000U

This recent offering from LG is the first quality ultra short throw projector that is at a price point affordable to most consumers. While it isn’t as bright as most standard home theater projectors, the PF1000U shines with a great design that can turn any reasonably dark room into a home theater.

Let’s start with the biggest strength of this projector: you can put it anywhere. It is about the size of a large shoe box and weighs less than 5 lbs. Just connect it to the power source and it is ready to go. It casts a 100″ screen when placed 15″ away from the wall. Move it as close as 5″ from the wall to get a 60 inch screen.

The PF1000U comes with an internal speaker, which is nice to have if you are in between sound systems, but you’ll want to sync up speakers via Bluetooth. It does have smart functionality, so expect access to the usual streaming suspects like Netflix and Hulu. There isn’t an app store, though, so you should get a Roku. Otherwise connect via Bluetooth, DLNA, Miracast, WiDi or through one of the 2 HDMI ports.

So how about picture quality and brightness? The PF1000U bright at 1000 lumens, but not as bright as standard home theater projectors at a similar pricepoint. Still, you don’t need a short throw projector to reach the same lumen count because it is less affected by ambient light at the short distance. The bulb lasts an impressive 30,000 hours.

It reaches 1920 x 1080 full HD at 100″ with a contrast ratio of 150,000:1. The LED bulb excels at delivering sharp, vivid colors. It falters on darker hues, so Game of Thrones and horror movies look a little washed out on dark scenes. The other major complaint is that the fan runs on the loud side. It’s not loud enough to be an issue for most people, but if you demand whisper quiet performance from your technology you will be irked by this.

Best Short Throw Projector: Optoma EH200ST

If your room is small and not particularly dark, you’ll do well with the  Optoma EH200ST. This short throw projector can cast a 100″ image from 3.5 feet away and delivers a bright 3000 lumens.

The DLP short-throw lens delivers ideal white and black contrast with a high native contrast ratio of 20,000: 1. It also performs well with colors. The EH200ST comes with BrilliantColor Technology which offers 6-color processing to create vibrant colors on the screen. It has full HD at 1080p and VESA 3D capability.

The EH200ST is a little bulkier than LG’s short-throw offering, but with dimensions of 4 x 12.4 x 8.8 you can still tuck it away in small rooms. You connect your devices via wireless connectivity, which works with laptops, smart phones, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, game consoles, and many other digital devices. Back ports include a USB mini-B, 2 HDMI ports, or a 12V out.

The post The Best Projectors for Small Rooms (Ultra Short Throw Projectors) appeared first on Reactual.

• The best micro projector currently available is the iCODIS CB-300 Pico Projector. This two pounds device is high portable yet it produces impressive video and sound. It delivers 1800 lumens projection and Android functionality with built-in speakers.
• The most portable micro projector that is still worth considering is the Coocheer Pocket Projector.

The Details: Micro Projectors

Micro projectors, also known as pico projectors or pocket projectors, have benefited from recent advancements in LED technology. When they first appeared on the market, pico projectors were a neat parlor trick but ultimately useless in all but the most ideal conditions. Lumen count and contrast have since increased, leading to clearer picture quality and larger projection sizes.

Micro projectors are ideal for work presentations and impromptu movie nights, but be realistic in your expectations before purchasing one. Many micro projectors do not come with built in speakers or HD video quality. These tend to be cheaper and smaller, fine for casting an Excel spreadsheet but useless if your goal is to play video games in the dorm room. I’ve found that a high lumen count is the single most important factor to consider when choosing a micro projector. Without enough brightness, its utility is seriously limited. Other factors to keep in mind include whether the projector requires an external power source, screen resolution, portability and audio.

A Micro Projector That’s Quite Bright: The iCodis CB-300

No matter what you want need your micro projector to do, iCODIS CB-300 can handle it. Not only is it among the brightest micro projectors currently available at 1800 lumens, it features a slew of smart features that make your life easier.

It has Bluetooth connectivity, a Micro HDMI port, 2 USB ports, and a mini USB port. It has a 6000 mAh internal battery that can last for 2 hours, and a 12V plug for an external power source if you require longer performance.

CB-300 acts a lot like a tablet or smart TV, thanks to Android OS 4.4 powered by built in CPU. You can watch videos from Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu directly from the projector, a unique and incredibly convenient feature.

Best of all, your movies will play in HD. The CB-300 is a 720p projector that can play 1080p files and has as a 16:9 screen ratio. It can focus up to 18 yards, but is better at closer. The screen display gets to around an impressive 75.”

Apple users have reported some difficulty streaming through the HDMI. Also, the device is a very portable 2lbs and 5″ by 5,” but it is not exactly pocket sized.

The Most Portable Micro Projector

If you need a micro projector that is truly pocket sized, go for Coocheer’s DLP Projector. While some micro projectors are as small as coins, they are worthless for projecting an image worth seeing. Coocheer gives you a respectable 100-200 lumens using an Android 4.4 OS in an ultra-thin design that will fit in your (large) pocket. It also has a built in 5000mAh rechargeable battery.

The post The Best Micro Projectors Of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.

Update September 2016: The SVS SB-1000 is now our top recommended subwoofer under $500.

Polk Audio PSW505 ($200)

Pros:

• Powerful enough to fill a large room
• Flexible input options
• Impeccable build quality

Cons:

• Too much bass for small spaces

Top Review Sources:

• Amazon 5.0/5.0 (200+ reviews)
• Newegg.com: 5.0/5.0 (225+ reviews)
• AudioEnz: “A fine sense of extension, tactile impact and all round bass weight and authority”

The Polk Audio PSW505 is an established and respected player in the large-room subwoofer game. Its performance is class-leading, with deep reserves of thundering bass and incredible precision. The PSW505 is a 12-inch woofer with a frequency range of 23 to 160Hz. It is solidly-built, measures 16-1/8″ H x 15-1/8″ W x 18-3/16″ D, weights 43 pounds, and is wrapped in black, real wood veneer. Features include an adjustable low-pass crossover, volume control, and a phase switch. This sub is magnetically shielded against interference and has an auto on/off switch to conserve power. Inputs are 5-way binding posts, line level (filtered), and LFE (unfiltered); output is a pair of 5-way binding posts. The PSW505’s 300 watts of power and big volume potential make it best suited for large spaces.

Amazon sells the Polk Audio PSW505.

Polk Audio PSW10 ($94)

Pros:

• Solid construction
• High value
• Clean and clear sound

Cons:

• No LFE input
• Might be insufficient for large rooms

Top Review Sources:

• Amazon: 4.5/5.0 (375+ reviews)
• CNET: 3.5/5.0 “It pounds out home-theater thrills and musical bass with equal prowess”
• Newegg.com: 5.0/5.0 (225+ reviews)

The low-price, high-performance Polk PSW10 makes it difficult to justify building a home theater without a powered sub. For $100, this subwoofer delivers 50 watts of continuous power through a 10-inch composite polymer speaker, producing rich bass with plenty of punch. Equally skilled at enhancing music, movies, or television, the PSW10 does its job without becoming boomy or muddled at high volumes. Its solid construction contributes to its great sound: 26 pounds of medium-density fiberboard measuring 14-3/8″ H x 14″ W x 16-1/8″ D. Included are speaker-level and line-level inputs, plus a speaker-level output. Frequency response is 35 to 200Hz. You also get on-speaker volume, crossover, and phase controls as well as an auto on/off switch. The PSW10 is built for small- to medium-size spaces. It is available in black or cherry finishes.

The Polk Audio PSW10 is currently available on Amazon.

Definitive Technology SuperCube III ($379)

Pros:

• Small package; huge bass
• Great range
• Solidly built

Cons:

• Will distort at extreme volume

Top Review Sources:

• Crutchfield: Staff Pick “True, accurate, and extremely deep bass in any room”
• Best Buy Customer Reviews: 4.5/5.0 (15+ reviews)
• Home Theater Magazine: “other SuperCube subs…have had amazingly low but very musical bass output—and lots of it. The SuperCube III is no exception”

Definitive Technology’s SuperCube III produces unbelievable bass despite its compact footprint. Its sound profile is defined by its extreme depth—all the way down to 16Hz. The SuperCube III produces an authoritative 650 watts of power, capable of handling the bass duties in small or large rooms. Listeners appreciate the SuperCube III’s versatility; it performs as well when asked to provide a steady, undistorted rumble as it does when the soundtrack demands rapid, staccato bursts of bass. Though this gloss black cube weights a substantial 25 pounds, it only measures 10-1/4 inches in any dimension. It has a signal-sensing auto on/off switch, low-pass crossover, volume control, 5-way binding post outputs, and line level, LFE, and 5-way binding post inputs. Its woofer is 7-1/2 inches in diameter.

You can buy the Definitive Technology SuperCube III on Amazon

The post The Best Subwoofers Under $500 appeared first on Reactual.

The post The Best Digital Converters of 2016 appeared first on Reactual.